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Lone Wolf and Cub Vol 4: Baby Cart in Peril (1972)

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Posted on March 11, 2007 by Alison

This is the first film I’ve seen that starts with a nipple. I’ve mentioned this fact to a few people, and the response has overwhelmingly been “So what?” No-one else has been at all impressed, and it seems that I’ve been watching all the wrong films. Apparently it’s nipples-a-go-go out there in cinema-land, and everyone’s off to see the latest Kurosawa Nipple Retrospective, leaving me alone in my nippleless wilderness.

Be that as it may, the aforementioned nipple works well … (read more)

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Lone Wolf and Cub Vol 3: Baby Cart to Hades (1972)

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Posted on March 11, 2007 by Alison

Once again, we catch up with Itto Ogami and his son Daigoro, as they trundle their way across Japan, killing some folks and not killing others while wandering through a lot of extremely scenic countryside. For some reason, the music is a sort of ghastly 70s blarting, which distracts considerably from the action it’s supposed to underscore.

As the credits roll, accompanied by the nasty blarting music, we’re treated to Ogami and son bathing in a stream and catching fish, … (read more)

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Lone Wolf and Cub Vol 1: Sword of Vengeance (1972)

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Posted on March 11, 2007 by Alison

Well, I have to say, it’s amazing what a man will do to carry out an assassination. And I really don’t think the synopsis does it justice, and I’m not sure I can either.

For one thing, Tomisaburo (Ogami) is not an actor who over-emotes. I can’t imagine him at acting classes pretending to be an ice-cream. I swear the only difference in his expression throughout the film is whether his eyes were downcast or staring at someone. And I … (read more)

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Zatoichi: Tale of Zatoichi Continues (1962)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Mat

Zatoichi, the legendary blind swordsman who moonlights as a masseur, is back in Zatoichi: The Tale of Zatoichi Continues. As the name suggests this film continues the tale of Zatoichi that began in Zatoichi: The Tale of Zatoichi.

Nearly, a year has passed since the events of The Tale of Zatoichi, and Ichi is travelling back to the location of the previous film to pay his respects to a dead friend. On his way, Ichi is asked … (read more)

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Lone Wolf and Cub Vol 2: Baby Cart at the River Styx (1972)

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Posted on November 25, 2005 by Justin

Following on from the first film in the series, Sword of Vengeance, Baby Cart at the River Styx continues the story of Ogami Itto and his baby son Daigoro as they wander the Japanese landscape as assassins-for-hire. Dour and quiet, Ogami is still haunted by the death of his wife, and early in the story we hear the chimes that were ringing as she was murdered in the first film.

After the events of the first film, the Yagyu … (read more)

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